Can I have a patio on the second floor I wondered as I sat in the grass in my backyard staring at the back of my townhome. With a small backyard I thought this would be a perfect way to add some square footage to it so I did some research. The results at first made me feel a little silly.
You cannot have a patio on the second floor of your house as they are made with concrete or stone and generally required to be put into the ground. Structures you can have on your second floor include decks, balconies, terraces amongst others.
While I felt silly after finding this out what I continued to read blossomed ideas of wonderful backyard adventures with the kids, chilling with my wife, and enjoying parties with friends and family with my soon to be home addition.
Options For A “Second Floor Patio”
Alright, I know that you can’t have a patio on a second floor, but what can you have? We will talk about the different options for a second floor outdoor space and perhaps the best of the bunch. Before we go further I do want to define the terms we are working with, but it that is a little too boring and you just want the end result than skip right down to it.
Deck – a flat floored roofless area adjoining a house
Yes you are right, a deck can be either on the ground or floors above. As you can see from the picture you can have it on all three floors if you like. It just depends on what you are looking for in an outdoor space. Since you are looking to see the possibilities of a second floor outdoor space than we will talk about the pros and cons of each with reference to each other.
| PROS | CONS |
| Comfortable in high heat and sun | Hold less weight than its counterparts |
| Easier customization(stain, paint, etc) | More Maintenance due to the materials used |
| Average of 65.8% return on Investment for your home value | Shorter lifespan due to materials |
| Cheaper installation than the other 2nd floor alternatives | Extensive permitting is generally required |
| Easier and cheaper to install with a larger square footage | |
| Provides shade when built on the second floor | |
| Easier to add to it due to the materials used |
The actual cost of the deck greatly depends on the permitting required and the materials used. Both decks built on the ground as well as decks built attached to the upper floors require permitting and that can greatly increase the cost of the project. The range of material costs go from the cheapest composite for less than $10 per sqft all the way to expensive custom wood that can make it $30+ per sqft.
When considering the materials used you also need to consider the lifespan of them. While you may save some money upfront, it would be a costly replacement to have to change out your deck every few years. Decks require very regular maintenance at least annually in order to keep them not only looking good, but also safe. It can be extremely dangerous if you ignore the signs of a damaged deck.
Decks are generally the best to consider for larger square footage. Due to the design of other second floor outdoor options it is extremely difficult and costly to extend a large distance from the house with structures built with concrete or other materials. Wood is extremely strong and light compared to its size and making it a prime choice for additions to a home after initial construction.
Lets look at other types of second floor options before we make our choice.
Balcony – a platform that projects from the wall of a building and is enclosed by a parapet or railing
| PROS | CONS |
| Very Strong compared to a wooden deck | Very costly and sometimes impossible to add |
| Easier upkeep and maintenance | Prone to stain and require more often cleaning |
| ideal for small apartment especially on higher floors | Slipping Hazard in rainy or cold areas |
| More prone to cracks that are visually displeasing | |
| smaller area |
Firstly I do want to clarify, decks can actually be balconies. Yes, in reality this is true, but to differentiate a large second level home deck from an apartment/condo small deck they are colloquially known as balconies. However houses can also have smaller decks attached that can also be considered balconies. If this leads to confusion than please forgive any of it that I caused, but lets keep discussing some differences so you can make an educated decision.
Now lets address the elephant in the room, balconies can be wooden too! I know, I know I totally admit to it and this would in fact mean that the cost can be comparable to a small deck in construction only. In the circumstance where you are adding a wooden balcony to a house you own with no HOA than it can be done more cheaply than a large deck.
However, balconies tend to be attached to condos, apartments or the like and provide a terrific space for a smaller living area to enjoy the outdoors while keeping a relatively low maintenance schedule.
Now lets continue to some other options for an enjoyable outdoor area.
Terrace(rooftop) – a flat roof or open platform
| PROS | CONS |
| Majority of the structure already exists | Can be a costly home alteration |
| Can offer the best views due to the height | Can adversely affect the look of your home as well as the perceived value |
| Provides for the largest surface area for homes without a larger lawn | If not constructed well can create costly damages to your entire home |
| Can add value for homes that do not own the ground under them |
A rooftop terrace can be the best addition one could get under the right circumstances. The highest view of the city, a beautiful place to sunbathe or the center of the party. It could also be a nightmare if it has the wrong placement or design.
Rooftop terraces are generally are found in cities where there is not a lot of ground space to build. They can also be made of wood and be called a rooftop deck as well. One of the biggest cons is the potential lack of privacy, this can however be combated with walls and overhangs that can also provide for shade.
There are other names for raised platforms either above the ground or on top of where you live, but these terms will hit the majority of the possible options. Below we will discuss possible options for a ground level vs raised outdoor space.
This type of outdoor living space is one of my favorite as it allows for so much space as well as more options for larger amenities. If your looking to enhance your outdoor space than check out this article about creating an outdoor kitchen entirely out of wood.
All terms definitions were taken from Merriam-Webster.
Second Floor VS First Floor Outdoor Space
Questions you have to ask yourself when considering the two.
- Do you have an HOA that will affect construction?
- Do you own the land you want to build on?
- Can you afford the cost of permitting and other legal fees in addition to construction?
- Do you have enough space to build?
Often there are laws that prevent a homeowner from constructing on more than 1/3 of the land in their backyard. Ask your local permitting office before you build.
There are many reasons to choose one over the other, but knowing the pros and cons before getting ready to make a decision can give some insight into what you really want out of your backyard addition.
| RAISED PLATFORM | GROUND LEVEL | |
| COST | Generally more expensive because they require more materials and permitting | Generally less expensive depending if permitting is required or not |
| PERMITTING | You will always require a permit prior to construction | If you own the land and are building a patio you generally do not require a permit *always check with your permitting office |
| GROUND | Optimum choice for uneven or sloping ground | If installing a patio requires extra ground preparation and can be costly if done incorrectly |
| LONGEVITY | Generally dependent on the materials used and less on the location | Generally dependent on the materials used and less on the location |
| LOCATION | Needs to be attached to the house | Can be placed anywhere on the property |
| UPKEEP | Generally dependent on the materials used and less on the location | Generally dependent on the materials used and less on the location |
| SPACE | Increases usable space by adding square footage | Must trade square footage for the construction of the living area. |
If you are considering making a ground level patio than check out this article we wrote to help you figure out what the best size patio you should have is and whether your patio should be level with your grass or not.
These are just some of the pros and cons, however they may change depending on the specific scenario of your home. If your still undecided or you have some reserves about a raised living area, lets talk about one more option to expand your living area outside in the back before you try to make it bigger.
Make Your Backyard Bigger
Obviously this is dependent on you actually owning the land your home is on. If you live in a condo than you may own the building, but not the ground it is on. Generally your HOA or community representation will have the answers for what you are looking for.
Now lets talk about a couple different options to make your backyard feel a little bigger than it previously looked.
Level Your Ground – Yes, if your lawn is hilly or filled with rock piles than it may look like you don’t quite have all of the space that you really do. If this seems like a daunting task or you just want to understand the process than check out our article that will give you a few tips and tricks to leveling your hard ground.
Remove bushes, trees and other plants – You may think that this is obvious, but if you don’t know your property lines and you but up against a wooded area, you may not be using all of the land behind you that you own. A parcel search on your counties website should review your property lines and if you are having trouble identifying exactly where they are than hiring someone to find them out exactly could expand your property by hundreds of square feet.
Take down an unwanted fence – This can be risky and come back to bite you, but if your fence buts up against your neighbors fence and it is already close to the end of its useful life than taking it down could expand your useable backyard by quite a bit. You are sacrificing privacy at that point however.
These are just a couple ideas that hopefully you will be able to bounce around in your mind. I wish you luck in finding the right solution to make your backyard that much more enjoyable with your family.